Bed construction for railroads



L. L. WILSON.

BED CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILROADS.

I APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, I919- 1,312,427, I Patented Aug. 5,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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Tm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAIII m. WASHINGTON. n. "I

L. L. WILSON.

BED CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY S. 19TH.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

LYnELL WILSON, or RANDOLPH, new YORK.

To all whom it may concern: 7

. Beitgknown that I, LYDELL L. WILSON, a

i citizen sea oned States, residing at the ,village of Randolph,in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in {Bed Construction for Railroads, of which thefollowing, taken inconnection with the .accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention relates to railway'beds and rail supports thereon; and the improvement consists in providing a reinforced concrete bed having aseries of spaced pairs of cavities; which have overhanging ends in order to place a two-part interlocking rail cushion therein, said cushion locking beneath sald overhanging ends in such a manner as to V prevent movement of the samewhen held in placeby the rail, yet permitting the removal of the rail and cushion when desired, provision being made for the drainage of said cavities; and the invention consists in the novel features and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the' drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the railway bed with the rails attached on the left portion of the same, and showing the empty cavities for the cushionsinthe right portion of said'bed. 2 is a sectional view at line 2-2 in Fig. 1 showing the construction and arrangement of the road bed with the rails attached thereon, the central portion being broken away. Fig. 3? is a perspective sectional view of a rail and the railway bed, showing the preferred construction and arrangement of the same. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective View of one of the sections of the rail support or cushion. Fig. 5 is a diagram of the preferred manner of insertion for the two-piece blocks; and Fig. 6 is-a top plan view of the: same after insertion. Flg. 7 is a top plan view of .a modification showing a lengthwise joint instead of a crosswise joint between the two rail block parts, and having theoverhanging walls son-the sides. Fig. 8 is a further modification'showing a dovetailed shaped cavity for the overhangingend walls, and a two piece rail block fitting the cavity.

Like. charactersof reference/refer to correspondingparts in the several views.

I Application filed May 5,1919. Serial No. 294,724.;

.cavity 12 by pressing central portions or joint 14 thereby bracing BED CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILROADS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the concrete road bed which is made of sufficient width to support the railway track," and of sufiicientthickness to support the loads necessarilyborne on said track.

should be about eight feet wide and reinforced beneatheach pointof rail attachment by. a crosswise rail or steel bar 11.

Two series of cavities 12 are provided spaced in alin'ement sidewise and lengthwise, which cavities are of suflicient size to receive the wood cushion 13 therein, which is made in two preferably equal parts, having the division joint 14 immediately beneath the cen- ;F.or,,a regular (gage railway the bed 10 ter:of the steel rail 15 when said rail is attaohedon said. rail cushion 13. The lower edges are preferably: chamfered' each way asshown at 16, and the ends 17 of the cavities 12 are made overhanging, preferably being formed in a curve or semi-circle, and the ends 18 of the cushion blocks 13 are rounded to fit within the curved ends 17 of the cavities 12 so that bymeans of the chamfered-opening 16 across the lower edges of the central joint 14, the two cushion blocks 13 may be pressed or turneddown into the downward on their against each other and the ends 17 The rail 15is attached immediately over said joint 141 so that the two cushion blocks are held firmly in place. The cushion blocks13 are made ,to. fit closely within. the cavities 12 thereby rendering said cushion blocks exceedingly rigid when pressed into binding engagement ,within the cavities 12. A reinforcingrod 19 is provided at each end of thecushion blocks 13 and cavity 12 which extends lengthwise of the bed therebyreinforcing the concreteand strengthening the overhangin edge-20 at each end ,of the double cushion block 13.

In order to drain the cavities12, drainage holes: or tubes 21 are provided which extend from the cavities 12to the bottom of the bed 10.. The holes 21 are preferably madeby placing a softwood rod in the fluid cement when the concrete bed 10 is constructed, -which soft .wood rod soon decays leaving the hole 21 in the hardened cement.

It will be appreciated that immediately following the construction of the bed and placing the wood cushions 13, said cushions would so closely fit the cavities 12 as to prevent water from seeping into the cavities. By constant use, however, the cushions are worn away so as to permit the water to enter the cavities 12. It will then have freedom of exit therefrom. Leading grooves 22 may be made in the bottom of the cavities 12 to the hole 21 to conduct the water.

The rail 15 is preferably attached as stated 7 over the central joint 14 of the blocks 13 by means of a corrugated plate 23 which has a smooth central portion for the base of the rail 15 and holes therethrough for the attaching bolts 24 at each side. Holes 25 are provided in the cushion blocks 13 for the attaching bolts 24, said holes or openings 26, the opposite inner edges of the plates 26 extending-on to the lower flange of the rail 15, looking latches 27 being provided for the nut 28 of the bolt 24;.

It is now obvious that the rails 15 may be quickly attached to the cushion blocks 13 and are easily removable therefrom by the simple attachment with the bolts 24 and plates 23 and 26. "-When it is desired to remove the rail 25, the nuts 28 are removed from the bolts 24, thereby permitting the removal of the holding plates 26 and the rail 15, after which the bed plate 23 may be removed and the cushion blocks 13 drawn upward at their central portion, the semi circular ends 18 111 the s1m11arly curved ends I of the cavities 12 permitting the easy withdrawal of the cushion blocks 13 for renewal or repair, or for the repair of the road bed.

The drainage holes 21 are provided in the lowest portion of the cavities 12; for example, in rounding a curve it will be appreciated that the concrete bed 10will be at an incline with the cavities 12 at thesame angle of inclination andthe holes 21 will, of course, be placed at the lower end of the cavities so as to give the .best drainage. The

central joint 14 as stated is preferably made crosswise of the center of the cavity 12, the blocks 13 beingmade so close a fit and the ends 18 made in semi-circular form, said blocks 13 hingingly press down into the wed ing horizontal position from the u war .ly inclined positlon as shown in t e diagram in Fig. 5, in which the blocks 13 are at the upward angle and the dotted horizontal line shows the strong wedging con tact into which said blocks are forced by heavy downward pressure, the beveled or chamfered lower corners being so adapted to one another as tdwedglngly force the blocks 13 into as strong holding contact against one: another as possible.

The modification shown 1n Flg. 7 shows blocks -29 which extend lengthwise of, the

cavity 30, and have the curved or overhanging walls on the sides of cavity 12 instead of at the ends as shown at 17. It is apparent that a sectional block couldthus be inserted f by having chamfered edges and serve a good purpose, but would not be as 'firm and strong as where the "joint 14 comes I under the plate 23 and rail 15,-which thereby holds the blocks29 at the joint 14 firmly in position so that they cannot creep and gives strong holding anchorage for the bolts 24 through each of the blocks 13. Any form of sectional rail block demands that opposite cavity walls be overhanging so far as the block is concerned and "that the other opposite sides be straight so that the sectional parts of the block may be turned down into holding engagement in the cavity.

' The modification shown in Fig. 8 shows the cavity 31 with straight overhanging end walls giving a dovetailed shape to the cavity, that is, said cavity enlarges inwardly asto its end walls. The rail block is made in two parts 32 and 33, the part 32 being dovetailed shape, while the part 33 has the same angle for each of itsend walls so that it slips freely into the remaining opening after the block 32 is inserted and the plate 23 and rail 15 with their holding engagements lock the two parts 32 and 33 firmly in position. This modified form serves a tailed shape holding the sectionallrail block firmly in position.

I claim as, new: 1. A railroad bed comprising a concrete bed having spaced openings therein, a twopiece rail block shaped to be received in each in opposite directions to permit the wedging insertion thereof in said openings.

2. A ra1lroad bed comprising a concrete bed havlng two series of spaced openings therein alined in pairs one series to each rail, oppositely curved overhanging end walls in said openings, and sectional rail blocks having simllarly shaped ends to 'wedgingly fit in said openings under said overhanging ends. a

3. A. railroad bed comprising a concrete good purpose for certain tracks, the dovebed having :two series of spaced cavities fered in opposite directions to permit the therein arranged in :alinement lengthwise insertion thereof in said cavities. 10 and crosswise, two of the opposite walls in In testimony whereof I have afiixed. my

each of said spaced cavities curved in sexfiisignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

circular forin, sectional rail blocks having LYDELL L. WILSON. their outerjedges in semi-circular f0rmt0 Witnesses:

hinge and wedgingly fit in said openings, HAROLD FORSBERG,

the central lower edges of said blocks cham- C. V. SWANSON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0-" 

